Serves 12

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 pound fontina cheese, shredded

12 ounces Parmesan, grated

4 ounces Romano, grated

½ cup tomato-basil pasta sauce (jarred)

Splash of Chianti (optional)

Fresh-ground black pepper to taste

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir until roux is bubbly and blended well. Add cream and garlic.

• Increase heat slightly and cook, stirring, until roux is dissolved and cream is hot.

• Add cheese in 4 batches, stirring each addition in a figure-eight motion until completely melted. When cheese mixture is thick and bubbly, whisk in tomato-basil sauce and, if desired, a bit of Chianti.

• Add pepper to taste and ladle mixture into a fondue pot. Place pot over heating source. Serve with stuffed pasta and dense bread.

Viva Italiano!

Italian fare is so well assimilated into the North American menu that you can always feel confident serving Italian dishes to a crowd. Use quality ingredients like aged, freshly grated cheeses to give your creations an authentic flare.